Chapter 4
"Matthew?"
The name Matthew slipped from Benjamin's thin lips, making Chase shiver involuntarily.
Everyone in Emerald City knew that Benjamin loved Evelyn to the bone, yet Evelyn only had eyes for Matthew.
The resources Benjamin gave her, she carelessly passed on to Matthew without a second thought.
This is bad... really bad.
Just as Chase was desperately trying to save himself, Benjamin's phone rang.
The name 'Evelyn' appeared on the screen, and Chase felt like the sky was falling.
Benjamin's face darkened as he pressed the answer button, but didn't speak.
Evelyn's soft, sweet voice came through the phone: "Benjamin, thank you for helping me find evidence that Sophia framed me. I'd like to treat you to lunch, is that okay?"
Has the sun risen from the west?
Chase was still worried when Benjamin let out a cold laugh.
"What, willing to have lunch with me just to help Sophia get the principal dancer position?"
"What?"
To make this call, Evelyn had practiced smiling in the mirror ninety-nine times, just to sound natural and sweet even over the phone.
Now hearing Benjamin's words, how could she keep her composure?
"No way! Benjamin, I'm coming to see you right now. You can't give her the principal dancer position, absolutely not!"
Without giving him a chance to respond, Evelyn hung up and slammed her foot on the gas pedal.
Chase's mind went blank, and he blurted out: "Did Ms. Thomas take the wrong medicine?"
Benjamin looked at him, and he immediately shrank back.
"Mr. Thomas and Ms. Brown..."
Benjamin's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, clearly unable to figure out what Evelyn was thinking either.
A few seconds later, he said in a low voice: "Take them to the lounge first."
Not giving the principal dancer position to Sophia?
Evelyn doesn't want to satisfy Matthew's request?
For Matthew's sake, Evelyn had always been able to endure any grievance, but this time...
Evelyn must be using this method to force him to meet her demands.
Evelyn rushed to the White Group and made her way unobstructed to Benjamin's office on the top floor.
"Where are Matthew and Sophia?" She saw Chase and immediately rushed over. In her agitation, Evelyn completely failed to notice Benjamin walking out of his office, his fingers gripping the door handle so tightly they turned white.
Chase quickly glanced at Benjamin's expression before answering: "In the lounge."
She acknowledged and headed straight for the lounge without mentioning Benjamin at all.
"Mr. White." Chase walked over, feeling particularly guilty.
Benjamin, who stood at the peak of power and was the center of attention wherever he went, always seemed to hit a wall with Evelyn.
He waved his hand and also headed toward the lounge.
"Do you know you were wrong?"
When Matthew saw Evelyn, he said coldly, "Tell Benjamin in a moment to make Sophia the principal dancer."
After a pause, perhaps feeling his tone was too cold, he added, "At noon, I'll take you for Spanish food."
Spanish food that Sophia likes, and he's taking her?
Evelyn's red lips curved up as she said, "Using the Thomas family's money to treat me to a meal?"
"You!"
Matthew's face immediately darkened.
Everyone in Emerald City knew he was the adopted son of the Thomas family. People respected him to his face, but behind his back, they said he lived off women.
"Evelyn, if you keep talking nonsense, I won't talk to you for the whole month!"
"What did I say wrong? Matthew, forget about your daily expenses; even your reputation was given by the Thomas family. And now you're yelling at me here, don't you think that's ridiculous?"
Used to being flattered and deeply sensitive about his status as the Thomas family's adopted son, Matthew's usually handsome face became somewhat twisted.
He stood up and walked toward Evelyn with a dark expression, as if preparing to get physical.
Her heart jumped—she had been too aggressive just now!
"What does Mr. Thomas think he's doing?"
When Benjamin's deep voice sounded above her head, Evelyn's slender waist was pulled by a strong arm, and she fell into a warm embrace.
She instinctively stiffened, then looked up at Benjamin behind her.
He glanced at her indifferently, then looked at Matthew: "Was Evelyn wrong? If the Thomas family hadn't adopted you, you probably wouldn't have the right to be yelling here, would you?"
Having received the Thomas family's kindness, forget about getting physical with their only daughter—even giving Evelyn a cold face showed Matthew's ingratitude.
Matthew's face stiffened. He stood there with a gloomy expression, looking at Evelyn.
Sophia immediately stood up and walked over, smiling at Benjamin: "Benjamin, Evelyn, and Matthew are just having a little spat. Everyone knows Matthew cares about Evelyn the most. How could he bear to scold her?"
"If that's the case, why make Evelyn give up the principal dancer opportunity?"
As the White Group dance company's principal dancer, you get not just fame, but the support of the White Group itself.
"Well..." Sophia had prepared her excuse long ago and sighed softly, "Evelyn's not feeling well, and it's inconvenient for her to perform, so she's letting me go instead."
"Really?" Benjamin looked down at Evelyn in his arms.
Evelyn's eyes darted around, then she immediately said with feigned surprise: "Not feeling well? How come I don't know I'm not feeling well? Does someone have prophetic powers, or are they deliberately trying to prevent me from participating?"
As she spoke, she turned in his embrace to hug his lean waist, saying coquettishly.
"If I really do get sick, someone must have harmed me. You have to help me find the culprit."
Benjamin never expected that Evelyn, who had never given him a kind look before, would act so sweet and coquettish with him.
But from the corner of his eye, he caught Matthew's darkening expression and vaguely understood what was happening.
Was Evelyn showing affection with him to deliberately provoke Matthew?
No matter how dissatisfied he felt inside, Benjamin couldn't bear to push Evelyn away. Instead, he held her tighter: "Don't worry, you're the only principal dancer in the White Group dance company."
"Evelyn!"
Matthew practically ground out her name through his teeth. Sensing something was wrong, he suppressed his anger.
"You'd better think about the consequences."
Matthew threw out this line and pulled the reluctant Sophia away.
But he didn't leave quickly.
Yet Evelyn, who had always been submissive before him, didn't chase after him. Instead, she looked up at Benjamin with a smile: "Are you free for lunch? I'll treat you."
He looked at Evelyn in his arms, somewhat dazed.
But after just a few seconds, his deep eyes regained their usual clarity. He leaned down to her ear.
"And then? After lunch, you'll have me give the principal dancer position to Matthew?"
His hot breath sprayed against her ear. Evelyn, who had been so seductive just moments ago, visibly stiffened, and her expression changed.
Benjamin laughed at himself inwardly as his hand gently pushed her away: "The contract is ready. You can give the principal dancer position to whoever you want."